Page 52 of Through You
Once he’s standing in front of me, he extends his hand to hold my chin and his thumb gently rubs my lips.
I’m trembling as I open my mouth. “What are you doing?”
My voice is barely audible and the words come out in a whisper.
Apolo doesn’t reply. Without taking his gaze off me, he leans in closer.
“Apolo . . .”
“Just feel,” he answers hoarsely.
He is aroused and his breathing, like mine, is in shambles.
My mind is clouded by the sexual haze spreading between us.
He wets his mouth and leans in to kiss me. And I know I shouldn’t, but when he moves his lips against mine at a slow, sensual pace, I lose all control.
He increases the pace of his kiss and presses me against the wall with his body. I release my mouth from his kiss to let out a groan.
I can’t stop myself from gripping his shirt tightly, while my legs are a quivering mess. I close my eyes—he’s a great kisser.
I need to stop this before it gets more out of hand, so I break the kiss, resting my forehead against his. The sound of our combined rapid breathing echoes in the small room. We’re both panting. As the moments pass, I become more clearheaded and the realization of what I’ve done grows. I need to get out immediately.
I pull back from Apolo and step around him, exiting the laundry room, and when I walk into the living room, I run straight into Artemis.
He still has his suit on, and probably just came home from work. Artemis looks at me intently, without saying a word. I bet I look flustered, and my face is red.
“Pardon me.” I turn around and walk away before he can work anything out.
I’d like to tell him that I feel guilty or something along those lines, but I don’t. There is nothing between me and Artemis. I’ve lost all respect for him after he deceived me just to get a kiss.
More so now that I know he has a fiancé. Not just a girlfriend, but someone he’s engaged to.
Apolo, on the other hand, worries me. The last thing I want is to ruin our relationship or make things awkward between us. But we crossed the line the moment we jumped from platonic love to kissing, right? I’d always thought of him as a brother. Well, that changed today. I recall his grunts, and the desire burning in his gaze. I shake my head.
Claudia, you can’t want him that way or you’ll make life complicated. You have to switch back to thinking of him as the boy he is;the boy you have always regarded as a younger brother.
I realize I’m outside Ares’s door when he opens it and finds me standing there.
“Claudia?”
I don’t know what I’m doing here. I suppose I’m running away, though I’m not sure from whom exactly. Apolo is usually the one I seek when I need refuge, but I can’t go to him now, not after what just happened. He must be feeling as confused as I am.
“May I come in?”
Ares steps to one side.
His bedroom is partially lit, the only light coming from the table lamps on either side of his bed. Lightning flashes through his window, and it’s soon followed by thunder. Shortly after, rain begins to fall.
“Has something happened to my grandfather?” Ares doesn’t try to hide the concern in his voice.
I shake my head. “No.”
Ares is wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. It’s getting late and I’m surprised he hasn’t changed into pajamas. Maybe he’s going out? He sits down on the reclining chair in one corner of his room.
“What’s going on?”
I’m so embarrassed, and doubt I can tell him what just happened. How could I?Well, Ares, two weeks ago I hooked up withArtemis, but it turned out he was a complete jerk because he wasengaged to someone else. And today I hooked up with Apolo. So,what do you think?
